


back to the future, could never.

by nieveblancas



Series: we're losers, and we always will be [2]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mentioned Maturin | The Turtle, The Losers Club, The Turtle (IT) CAN Help Us, Time Travel, kid! losers meet the adults, my guys i cant think of any tags, when i am actually competent i'll come back and add some lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21915466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nieveblancas/pseuds/nieveblancas
Summary: As much as it pains him to say it, Eddie has to admit that every time the losers reunited (plus Patty and Audra,) something bad happened. Usually, it was something small, like a flat tire, or a forgotten wallet.But occasionally, something along the lines of pure bullshit happens, like that one time they went hiking and were chased by a real ass wendigo.Staring at the losers club from 29 years ago shaking in their sneakers, though, was another level of mind-fuckery.OR,the losers just try to have a good time and get their hopes crushed by their younger-selves.similarly, the day Beverly is set to leave Derry for good, the losers are sent 29 years into the future. Thanks, you ugly space-turtle.
Relationships: Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier, Bill Denbrough & Eddie Kaspbrak, Bill Denbrough/Audra Phillips, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Mike Hanlon & Ben Hanscom, Patricia Blum Uris/Stanley Uris, Richie Tozier & Stanley Uris
Series: we're losers, and we always will be [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566466
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	1. the god-forsaken picnic

**Author's Note:**

> i posted this by accident on the 23rd but i finally wrote the first chapter lol! uh i hope you like it?

I set my plate of (meticulously made) brownies down carefully on the picnic blanket, right next to Patty’s cheesecake and Mike’s caramel apples. Stan was sitting at the edge of the white and red checkered sheet, separating the plates into courses.   
  
  
“How was the drive, Stan?” I asked, smiling at how concentrated he was with sorting the foods.   
  
“Same old, same old, Eddie. Patty thinks she saw a Cerulean warbler on our way up, though.” Stan hummed, putting Ben’s macaroni and cheese next to Bill’s chicken tenders. I murmured, straightening my back again. I turned around to find the others, but I was almost tackled to the ground by a big, fluffy body excitedly scratching at my torso.   


I huffed out a laugh through my teeth, hissing when its claws dug into scar tissue.   
  
“Hey, Butterscotch, hiya bubby.” I scratched at the top of the Collies head. Ben runs down the hill, tight smile on his lips. The rest of the losers follow, all of them a bit winded from the run.   
“Sorry, Eddie! She’s just really excited to see you guys.” Ben laughed, petting Butterscotch softly when she trotted back to his side. Ben and Beverly had gotten a rough baby collie the second year after the return to Derry. We joked that Butterscotch was something like a practice baby.   
  
“It’s fine, Ben. I missed her fluffy-ness.” I laughed, dropping down to my knees so she could comfortably bound over to me for scratches.   
  
  
“Hey Butterscotch, be careful with Eds! He’s fragile goods!” Richie snickered, joining me as I pet Butterscotch. I glared at him, lips pursed in annoyance.   
  
  
“Don’t call me Eds, asshole. I’d take Butterscotch over you any day.” I huffed. Richie jerked back, faking a bullet wound to the chest. Butterscotch barked and padded over to him, licking his face. Richie spluttered and held her back as I snickered.   
  
  
“Butters, honey, I don’t think I’m gonna make it,” Richie panted, holding Butterscotch’s head still.   
  
“Tell them it was Eddie, he can’t get away with this-” Richie whined and then played dead. I rolled my eyes and lightly kicked his side.   
  
  
“Get up, you drama queen. For the record, Butterscotch would help me hide your body.” I laughed, helping Richie off of the grass.   
  
  
We joined the rest of the losers, who were already eating and chatting on the big blanket. Bill passed me a bottle of hand-sanitizer wordlessly.   
  
  
“So, Mike, how’s Florida treating you?” Ben spoke between bites but had the decency to cover his mouth. Mike hummed and swallowed before speaking.   
  
  
“It’s been fun. The resorts are beautiful. I’ve been looking at some job positions, too. I’ve found a couple in elementary libraries, and I think I’m going to apply when school starts in August.” Mike smiled as everyone shouted their encouragement. Richie slammed a hand in front of Mike though, narrowing his eyes.   
  
  
“Mike, did you bring me _the cargo_?” Richie gasped when Mike laughed and pulled out a stuffed alligator. Mike threw it at Richie, who squeaked but hugged it.   
  
  
“Thank you, Mikey!” Richie laughed, setting the plushie on his lap.   
  
  
“Bill, how’d you’re press tour go?” Beverly asked, pushing strands of hair behind her ear. Bill shrugged and winced, which prompted groans out of everyone.   
  
  
“No! No! None of that self-deprecating bullshit, Denbrough! We are here to celebrate your first, not shitty ending!” Richie flung a grape at Bill, who laughed and spluttered.   
  
  
“Okay, Okay! It went well, you man child.” Bill wiped any dampness the grape left on his cheek as he laughed. Richie shrugged, still grinning.   
  
“I don’t think you’re one to talk-” Stan’s quip is interrupted by the ground shaking violently, food tumbling out of containers and drinks spilling. After spending the last few years in California, earthquakes weren’t as anxiety-provoking as they used to be. What made me scramble onto my feet were the warping, glitching colors that swirled like a vortex. 

  
  
“What the fuck is that?” Richie yelped as he pulled me further away from the anomaly. I stumbled over my feet but managed not to fall. The others were yelling, but the sudden fast gusts of wind rushing in my ears made their words unintelligible. I closed my eyes when they began to burn, clutching Richie’s arm with both of my hands. 

  
  
The noise stopped as if it had never been there at all. I could hear the others panting, and Richie’s chant of curses frantic in my ear. I opened my eyes cautiously and slowly, letting go of Richie’s arm. 

  
  
“Guys, what the fuck?” I squeaked, hitting Mike in the chest. Mike pushed my hands off of him and stepped forward, nearing the undisturbed clearing.   
Four small figures stood on wobbly knees, clutching at each other. I bit my tongue as I stared at them, and I felt Richie jostle me. 

  
Big glasses, red fanny pack, wobbling lower lip with glassy eyes, and honey brown curly hair. I huffed out a humorless laugh, in shock. Richie followed Mike, causing the rest of us to follow them further away from the suddenly clean picnic blanket. 

  
  
“Holy shit! Bill, what the fuck!” Richie _(from 1989?)_ yelled, pulling on tiny me’s arm, so they pressed together. Small Bill and Stan kept looking at each other as their heads swiveled side to side. 

  
  
“Sh-shut u-up, Richie! I d-d-don’t know wh-wh-where we a-a-a-are!” Tiny Bill’s hands flew into his hair, and he looked about ready to cry when he spotted all of us, approaching them quickly. A yelp left his mouth, but he clenched his fists and stood stock still as we finally reached the four kids. 

  
  
“Where are we,” Tiny Bill grit his teeth and crossed his arms. “And wh-wh-wh-why are w-we here?” 

  
  
“Bill, honey, you’re all in Vermont. We don’t know how you got here, or why.” Beverly tried using a maternal tone (very similar to the voice she uses to get Butterscotch’s attention) to calm them. Still, it only served to make them bristle. 

  
  
“Hold on, lady,” Baby Richie yelled, still gripping baby me’s shoulder as he gestured with his other hand. “You’re fucking telling me that we,” He gestured to the four of them wildly, eyes wide. “Are in Vermont, for absolutely no reason? We just got fucking warped here for shits and giggles?” Richie pulled at his hair, face turning red in frustration. 

“What day is it?” Mike ran a hand through his hair as he asked, eyes pinched closed tightly. He genuinely looked like his blood pressure just went skyrocketing. 

“August sixteenth, 1989,” tiny Richie said just as small Bill said, “How do you our names?” I pursed my lips and crossed my arms, a little amused by tiny Richie’s compliance. 

“Well, besides you two screaming at each other two minutes ago,” little Bill jostled tiny Richie with his elbow at the mention. Tiny Richie just grumbled. “We’re you guys, but uh, older.” I coughed into the crook of my arm, grimacing. Richie, the one next to me  ( _ wow, _ _ this is a mind-fuck and a half _ ) cringed back, patting my shoulder and letting it slide down to my lower back, where he rested it casually. 

“Um, what the fuck are you talking about, you pyscho!” Tiny me yelled face pinched in panic. I winced and clenched my jaw. Should’ve figured that wouldn’t go down well. 

  
“Bev leaves today.” Mike snapped his fingers after a beat, lost in thought. We oh’ed, even though this meant nothing to me, and I could tell we were still confused. Mike turned back to the kids, who looked like they just realized something.   
  
“Bev, Mike, and Ben...” Little Stan rubbed his eye, teeth worrying his bottom lip. Small Richie cussed, and Bill shook his head.   
  
“They were right next to us, why didn’t they get sucked in too?” Baby Bill looked at Mike, who shrugged.   
  
“Sucked into what?” Stan asked, getting closer to the children. Tiny me answered, fiddling with his fanny pack. 

“This vortex looking thing, it messed with colors and it like the wind got strong and it felt like my stomach flew into my throat. The next thing I remember is white light, and then we were here,” I blinked, frowning. I got better at the whole fast-talking thing, but _Holy shit_ , that was so hard to comprehend. 

The ground shook _again,_ causing us to scramble back into movement. I tugged 1989 Bill and Stan away from where they were standing while Mike pulled along Eddie and Richie. 

Once we were five or so feet away from the kid’s original crash site, I felt wind pull me backward. The wind roared in my ears as I clutched tiny Bill and Stan to me. When I turned around, the same vortex span wildly, swirls of color surrounding it.   
  
Just as my head began to pound, it stopped, and 1989 Mike, Beverly, and Ben stood where the other four stood merely five minutes ago. I bit the inside of my cheek, nerves knawing at my stomach.

_What’s sending them here?_


	2. Cabins and Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adults try to figure out what to do with the seven children that now occupy Ben's vacation home in the mountains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Let me know what you think of this chapter if you'd like! I'm always up for constructive criticism :) 
> 
> Also, uh, sorry if it's confusing due to the doubles of every character (time travel be wack), I'm trying to make sure that it is clear which version is speaking/doing something!

I leaned on the wall behind Richie's seat at the dining table, watching how the kids had separated into groups by themselves. Baby Richie, Stan, Bill, and I were touching knees on the same couch. Beverly in the armchair with Ben, and Mike both sitting on the carpet. 

"So you're saying you all," Kid Beverly pointed at us. Bill and Richie nodded slowly, clearly irritated. 

"Are all of us from twenty-nine years in the future?" Bill nodded, standing from the kitchen counter he had been sitting at previously. Beverly paused for a second before shrugging. 

"Okay." Child me spluttered, hands wringing his shirt back and forth. Kid Beverly had sunk into the armchair, brows furrowed and mouth pursed. 

"Oh, that's fucking great, yeah! Just accept that this is real Bev, no suspicious activity in sight!" I grimaced as child me yelled, hands flying into the air. _I spoke with my hands, good to know._

"Eddie, we just finished fighting a demon clown that tormented us all year. Time travel is not the first supernatural thing and not the most terrifying out of the two; let's be honest." Kid Beverly's sentence came in a breathy laugh, eyes flicking to the floor and back to baby me. He grimaced and reluctantly nodded. _Good_ , my head was starting to hurt from his loud yelling. 

"So, now what?" Kid Ben asked, grimace set on his chubby face stubbornly. His cheeks were red, and I could tell he was close to tears. Bill ran a hand through his hair and looked back over to Mike. 

"I think," Mike bit his thumb, brow furrowed and eyes tired, "we have to go back to Derry." My breath catches in my throat, _fuck that_. Richie shook his head immediately. 

"Err! Wrong answer, Micycle! There's no way in hell I'm going back," Richie wrapped his hand around the cup of coffee he had been nursing for the past half hour, knuckles white. 

"Chee," I scratched my cheek before shaking my head too. There was no getting Richie to go back to Derry, and I wasn't keen on it either. 

"Mike, are you sure it's our only choice?" Mike nodded, leaning against the kitchen island. 

"Unless you want to wait it out and see what happens here?" Mike shrugged. Stan huffed and cleaned his glasses, stiffly moving so he wouldn't jostle Patty's head resting on his shoulder.

"Don't give them ideas, Mike." A laughed startled out of me, and in a second, the room filled with strained giggles. In reality, the comment wasn't precisely top-tier comedy. However, the air had become thick and stale, so the laughter was welcomed.

"Look, if we don't go back to Derry, we have two options," Mike held up two fingers. "One we all take our counterparts and go home, keep in contact, and see what happens, or we take our vacation days now and stay here, keep them together and see what happens." I hummed, crossing my arms. 

How would we explain to the seven kids that Richie and I had gotten married last summer, we lived in LA and owned a huge house in a beautiful (expensive) area? If we took them with us, we would have to hide all evidence of our marriage. If I remember correctly, baby me was starting his _'holy shit I like Richie'_ faze. **Not** the most ideal time to break it to him. 

I jostled Richie with my elbow. He startled and turned to look at me, eyebrow raised in question. I slipped off my wedding band and tilted my head toward the living room. He frowned for a beat before nodding, understanding what I meant. He slid his off too, and I took both, shoving them into my back pocket.

"I don't think we should split up." Tiny Bev swung her legs as she spoke, fiddling with the key around her neck. "Last time we did that..." She stopped herself, mouth twisting. Bill and I glanced at each other,  _ the last time we split up, Beverly got kidnapped.  _

"I've got three months' worth of vacation days saved." Ben's smile was more of a grimace as he looked at us, but his eyes shone happily. I could tell Ben was excited to spend time with the kids, he was stuck with a baby fever ever since Bev, and he got hitched. 

"Stan can stay, but my schedule for the next month is full of board meetings I can't miss." Stan pursed his lips but nodded, lips quirking upwards when she landed a peck on his cheek. 

"I've got a new writing contract, so I have nothing to do for the next few months or so." Bill shrugged, and I bit a smile back. 

"I can work on my laptop," My agreement made Richie bark out a laugh and pushed his glasses up his nose, grin wide. 

"I don't have a nine to five job to go back to," Richie flipped his hair dramatically. I snorted, moving toward the fridge. 

"Wonder why, dickhead." Richie pouted and stuck his tongue out at me. Beverly snickered, and I heard the kids giggle too. Audra tumbled back into the room, linens, and bedspreads bundled in her arms. 

"Think these will be enough Bever-" Audra steps on one of the blankets, sending her into a solid six seconds of stumbling. Kid BIll scrambled over quickly, pulling the back of her shirt so she would lean on the sofa's arm. Audra dropped the blankets into her lap, revealing her flushed red face and hair a mess. She smiled softly at baby Bill, who smiled gently back. 

"Sorry for that Bill, I'm a bit of clutz." Audra laughed and scooped the bedspreads back into her arms, making sure they didn't drag on the floor. 

"Say, do you think you could stay a bit, Audra?" Beverly asked, glancing at the kids. Audra dropped the linens on the dining table and hummed, confused. 

"Oh," she nodded, running a hand through her hair. She got that from Bill, it was apparent. "Is it about," She jabs her thumb backward. We nodded, and she smiled but shook her head. 

"Sorry, guys. I'd love to, but I have choreography for a project I have to do." Bill nods, looking like he just remembered. Typical Bill, always stuck in his head (to be fair, we all tended to space out.)

"That's okay, Audra. Is it okay if Bill stays?" Mike asked, cracking his knuckles.

"Sure! He can do what he wants, and I'm sure Bill would love to be somewhere other than his office when he writes for once." She laughed, bumping her hip with Bills. Bill laughed and kissed her cheek. Baby Richie gags in the living room, making us turn to face them. 

"Bill, I'm gonna need you to tone down the PDA." Baby Richie took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Kid Bill went red and punched Richie's shoulder. 

"Sh-shut u-up, Richie." Bill groaned. Baby me and Stan snickered in between them. 

"So it's agreed? We're staying here till further notice?" Ben looked around the room. We all nodded and laughed when we heard the cheers from the kids. 

"Hey, I meant to ask earlier, but why is your TV so small and wide?" Kid Richie practically had his face pressed against the screen of Ben's flat-screen TV while Bill fiddled with the gaming consoles. 

"Oh, that's right! You guys don't have a lot of technology yet," Beverly giggled and walked over to the gaggle of kids, staring at the phone in her hand in confusion. 

"Bullshit!" Kid Richie yelped, taking it from her. The seven kids gathered around, laughing when the screen lit up. Baby Richie quickly got bored and tried to find the TV remote, but ended up jumping on the couch with Beverly.  _ Of course.  _

"Damn," Richie laughed and rubbed his cheek. "Forgot how hectic I was before I got my ADHD medicine." I frowned, not remembering Richie ever going on medication. 

"When did you get them?" I asked, resisting the urge to drape myself over him, for the sake of keeping the children's mental states stable. 

"2006, baby." He stretched out 'baby,' holding up finger guns. Stan hummed into his coffee cup. 

"No wonder I can't remember a single moment in time where you weren't moving." Richie stuck his tongue out at Stan, who pointedly ignored him and returned to playing a puzzle game on his phone. 

Butterscotch barked at the backdoor, and I moved to let her in. As I walked further away from the open kitchen and living room, I heard whispers linger in my ears -  _ his thought is slow but always kind.  _ I grimaced and rubbed at my eyes until bursts of color swam under my closed eyelids. 

I heard Butterscotch whine, and my eyes snapped open to see Butterscotch's paws over her eyes, ears flattened to her head. I opened the door and looked out into the distance. 

The treeline, not far from the cabin, looked dark and unsettling. My stomach twisted in knots, tongue heavy as led suddenly. it seemed like shadows moved under the moon and for a second it looked like the shadow of a balloon bobbing along the edge-

"Eds! Get in here. We have to beat these brats at Jenga!" Richie's call pulled me from my spiral. I closed the door, took one more cursory look at the dark woods, and made my way back into the living room, Butterscotch trotting at my feet happily. 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come talk to me on tumblr at nieve-blancas ! 
> 
> or 
> 
> discord at nieve-blancas #8777
> 
> is this rushed???
> 
> mayhaps....


	3. Pancakes to Painful reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh I kind of hate it but im psyched to be writing again lmao

A muffled groan left Richie, head shoved under a pillow. I yawned and pushed myself up, taking note of the blinking numbers 6:14 on the digital clock beside the bed. 

"Morning, Richie." I pressed a soft peck into his bare shoulder before standing, prompting Richie to hiss. 

"Eds, don't lift the blanket! I'm cold, come back." Richie's whines followed me into the guest bathroom. I scoffed and turned the knobs to my preferred temperature. 

"Don't call me eds, Dickwad! And it's not my fault you run cold twenty-four-seven, Richie." I stepped into the steady water stream, successfully drowning out Richie's protests. 

When I left the bathroom, Richie was sitting up on the bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. I rolled my eyes and started rifling through the drawers. Richie's hair was messy and falling onto his forehead, awkwardly. 

"Oh great, you've joined the rest of the adults. Go shower." I swatted his shoulder playfully. Richie grumbled but shuffled into the bathroom, leaving me to change. When he emerges, a gust of steam bursts out from behind me, and I almost choke on the sudden humidity filling the room. 

"Why do you take scolding hot showers?" I ran the comb a final time through my hair, turning to glare at Richie. He grinned and wiggled his fingers at me. 

"I'm always running cold, Spaghetti Man." I flipped him off and opened the bedroom door, knowing Richie didn't like me watching him change. I stepped into the hallway and could immediately hear hushed conversations coming from downstairs. 

I padded down the stairs silently and found all seven kids talking animatedly, eyes shining as they crowded around the TV. Someone had found the remote, and they were baffled by the quality of the colors and lack of static. They had wrapped themselves in the blankets Audra and Patty had set up for them, a singular comforter draped over all of their heads. 

"How long have you guys been up? Don't get too close to the screen guys. Your eyes will get tired." I nudged who I assumed was Bill, and when the figure looked at me with reddish-brown hair and A pouty face, I knew I was right. 

"We've only been awake half an hour or so." Baby Mike scooted backward when he spoke, prompting the others to move as well. I hummed and rifled around the kitchen, opening the fridge. 

"You all like pancakes, right?" I grabbed the eggs, butter, and milk, pushing the fridge door closed with my foot. 

"Ooh, do you have waffles!" Baby Richie yelled, his body, swear to god _vibrating_. I frowned and opened the freezer and pulled out the box. 

"Eggos, good enough?" I shrugged, setting them on the counter and moving over to the pantry. I opened it, and of course, the flour was on the shelf I couldn't reach. 

"Fuck." I considered using a chair as a stepping stool, but one look at the kids shot that idea down. I don't need two sets of my friends teasing me for being "short" (I'm the average height, dammit!) 

I scowled and decided to mix the wet ingredients first. I melted the butter in a 

pot, then poured that into a bowl with 2 cups of milk and two whisked eggs. I turned around and startled at the sight of kid Bill and kid Richie watching me intently. 

"Holy crap, you weirdos." I put a hand on my chest, breathing in deeply. The kids blinked innocently at me, both of them resting their chin in their hands. 

"C-can we h-help?" I pursed my lips, looking back at the pantry. Getting the kids to do it would save me from having to ask for help. Bingo. 

"Sure, can you get me the flour from the pantry?" Child Richie scrambled out of the barstool, kid Bill behind him at a more leisurely pace. 

Bill boosts Richie (not before a round of rock-paper-scissors that ended in Richie's favor), so he could reach the flour on the pantry shelf. He sets it next to me, and both watch as I open the spice cabinet, where I know Ben leaves the baking soda. I pulled out another bowl and hesitated. _I'm going to regret this._

I pushed the dry ingredients and the bowl closer to the boys, who lit up and clamored to measure and throw in the contents. I bit back a smile and connected the toaster, popping in some of the frozen waffles. 

Surprisingly, the boys didn't make to much of a mess with the powders, and I let them both take turns flipping the pancakes once we mixed the batter. 

I had just given Stan his plate so he could sit down and join the others when the rest of the house's occupants came scrambling down the stairs, giggling loudly. 

"Oh, hey, Eds! See you've gone, full housewife." Adult Bill laughed, ruffling my hair as he leaned over me to pluck a strawberry from the pile of fruit I've placed in a bowl. 

"Bill, fuck off!" I punched his shoulder, which just made him laugh and serve himself a stack of pancakes. 

"Back off, Big Bill! Don't make fun of Edster for trying to live his fantasy as a trophy wife." Richie put a hand on my shoulder, snickering. I flipped him off and finished cutting the apples and dropping them into the fruit bowl.

Mike, Bev, Ben, and Stan sit at the kitchen island while the kids occupy most of the dining table, leaving space for Bill, Audra, and Patty. Richie sits on the counter, and I lean against it next to him, nibbling on my previously cut pancake pieces and strawberries. 

"Are we doing a research day?" Bill asked, mostly addressing Mike. Mike hummed for a second. 

"Might as well, when we have all hands on deck. Patty and Audra go back home tomorrow." The kids quiet, obviously feeling upset by the reminder that they'll have to go back to Derry eventually. 

"Do you think we'll change anything? You know, that whole time travel shit?" Kid Richie's question is met with mostly silence before I shake my head. 

"That's not clear yet. We don't know if you're from the same timeline as us. You could be from another dimension for all we know." Richie shoves Eggo pieces into his mouth, huffily at my answer. 

"That's a good point, Eddie. We don't know what we're messing with." Mike nodded, setting down his fork. My ears ring, and I feel my mouth move, feeling strangely heavy.

"More like who we're messing with." The ringing stops, and I realize everyone is looking back and forth between Stan and me, and our kid versions. I pop my jaw and sniff, locking eyes with Stan. 

"What the fuck was that?" Kid Richie yelped, pointing his fork at child Eddie. Baby me splutters and grabs at his t-shirt's collar nervously. 

"I don't know shithead! How the fuck would I know, this is grade A demon shit!" Child me tightened his grip on his shirt, clearly panicked. Kid Stan's eyes were glossy, and his lower lip was shaking. I put down my plate and cough, looking back to Mike, who looked white as a sheet. 

"Guys, do you hear that?" I frowned at looked at Richie, who shook his head. Stan groans and holds his head, sending Patty scrambling to check on him. A scream shoots through my head, and it was so jarring I couldn't tell if it was in my head or Beverly had screamed as Stan went limp. 

_hIS THOUGHT IS SLOW BUT ALWAYS KIND_

_HiS thOugHt iS SloW bUt ALwAyS kIND_

_HIS THOUGHT IS SLOW BUT ALWAYS KIND!_

_I'll take him. I'll take all of you. And I'll feast on your flesh as I feast on your fear._

_iLL TAKE HIM, I'LL TAKE ALL OF YOU AND I'LL FEAST ON YOUR FLESH AS I FEAST ON YOUR F E A R-_

I can't breathe, and panic closes my throat. There are yells which aren't in my head around me. I think Richie is holding me up when my knees give out, and we both go tumbling to the floor. My vision blurs steadily, and soon enough, I can only see white.

Distantly, I feel my mouth moving along to the words blaring in my head. 

_on his back, all vows are made_

_fEaR_

_on his back,FeAr_

_fE- on his back, aLL VOW ARE MADE_

Everything stops suddenly, and I don't feel Richie's hands around me anymore. The floor isn't tiled anymore and feels more like a cold, smooth stone. 

"Richie?" I hear my voice- but younger, so not my voice?- yell, and I push myself up from the ground. It feels like I just came up for air after a while underwater, and I have to hold back the frantic pants that build in my chest, begging me to take deeper breaths. 

"Where the fuck are we?" Richie- my Richie- grabs my arm and helps me stand, holding me closer than we've let ourselves do so since the kids arrived. 

The kids were still struggling to get up, knobby knees shaking. Kid Beverly had landed a ways away and was still stumbling. I make my way over to kid Beverly, my movements still stiff, and help her stand. She held my wrist tightly as we walked back to the group. 

"Can I just say, I did not miss this supernatural shit." Richie rubbed at his eyes and pulled me closer to him, shoving his face in the crook of my neck. 

I held him there, patting his head gently. 

"So how the fuck are we gonna get out of this one." I blew out a sigh, looking around. It was a little hard to get a clear idea of our surroundings. There was a layer of water, ankle-deep, covering the floor. It reflected a blue sky with fluffy clouds, even though there was no sky, just a white abyss above us. 

_"Welcome,"_ a voice echoed. We looked around, confused. A turtle about the size of my head rose from the water, head peeking out to look at us. 

"Is that turtle fucking talking?!" Tiny me yelled, grasping at his Richie. 

_"Indeed, child. I figured a small creature would not threaten you."_ Its mouth did not move as he spoke, voice old and raspy. The turtle levitated out of the water, and I could see that he had tiny trees sprouting from his shell. 

"What are you? Did you bring us here?" Tiny Stan spoke, voice conveying that he was at his breaking point. Stan himself still had that tell, so we losers always tried our best to calm him down. At the moment, all the tiny losers could do was gather around him, acting as a security blanket. 

"I'm Maturin, what your kind would call a god, Stanley. Yes, I brought you here to save you." Tiny Bill shook his head, stepping closer to the turtle. 

"Y-you didn't s-s-save us, though. W-we already f-fought t-the clown. Georgie's already d-d-d, crap," Baby Bill takes a breath, "gone." The turtle hummed. 

"You fought Pennywise, that is true. You have yet to kill him, however. In twenty-seven years, you all go back to Derry after leaving and forgetting each other. The adults here have a different fate then you seven." Maturin creates a cloud above him, showing to blue lines, never intersecting, but they dip and waver in certain spots. They go two different directions at one point, completely different. 

"These adults all survive the encounter. You seven, however, do not." The turtle creates two more clouds above the one previously conjured. One shows a picture of baby me, laughing loudly at something a flustered Bill said.

The other showed an excited Stan, cheeks red as he pointed at something in the distance, Beverly following his finger, just as excited. My heart stops; _Four of us die in their timeline?_

"No, No, Eddie. Bill and Beverly are safe in the children's time. Eddie and Stan, however.." 

Oh. Stan and I die in their timeline. Strangely enough, I'm weirdly relieved that Bill and Beverly are okay. 

_"I'm sorry, what the fuck?!"_ Both my Richie and Tiny Richie yelled, faces red and eyes glassy. I shared a look with Stan, _not good._

For most of our lives, it had been the core four; Bill, Richie, Stan, and Me. I had met Bill first, then Bill met Stan, who had already met Richie. Still, there was something a bit closer between Stan, Richie, and I. Looking back on it, it was most likely because we were all part of families with one child. Bill had Georgie to tend to at home, so we went on many adventures excluding Bill. Of course, Bill is just as much of a brother to me as Stan is. When we were smaller, however, there was indeed a slightly different relationship between Bill and me. 

Richie had always been protective of Stan and me. I figure it's because Richie and Bill were alike in some aspects, so they clash often. For example, the Niebolt incident. Richie was protective in the sense that no one could touch us with a ten-foot pole. Bill could handle himself, being just as scrappy as Rich, but Stan and I wouldn't hold out for long. 

"If Eddie and Stan would like, I could show you what differs in your timelines." Small Stan and kid me looked at each other, seemingly having a conversation without speaking. Tiny Stan squeaked but nodded quickly. Baby me nodded once, lips pursed.

"Okay, if it saves Stan," He gets looks from al of us, "if it saves all of us." Maturin chuckles lightly, and a soft ray of white light gently floats toward the two small boys. It levitates leisurely, and the two kids seem to realize it is waiting for one of them to step forward. Eddie grasps Stan's hand, squeezes it, and lets it drop. He takes a few steps ahead and nods once more, biting his lip.

The beam of light shoots forward quickly, striking Tiny me in the chest. A glowing symbol forms on Eddie's forehead, a compass. His eyes roll back into his head, glowing. His feet leave the ground, and he floats a few inches off of it, not unlike Beverly in the deadlights. 

A soft cloud of mist floats in front of us, and we proceed to sit on the ground. A picture forms in the fog, and my stomach tumbles into knots. Distantly, I hear a sinister chuckle lilt happily. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we love bill denbrough in this house! I know i lean a bit heavy into the stozier side but bill is baby too!!!
> 
> let me know what you think?? 
> 
> come talk to me at nieve-blancas on tumblr!

**Author's Note:**

> i would decease for butterscotch the rough collie. 
> 
> come talk to me on tumblr at nieve-blancas!
> 
> i swear i'll get better at differentiating the kids from the adults :,)


End file.
